Bigger Military

Bush wants to expand Army and Marines

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U.S. Army soldiers from 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, provide security for Iraqi army soldiers talking with Iraqi citizens during a mission in Adhamiyah, Iraq, on December 12, 2006. (Photo: Jeffrey Alexander/US Military)

December 20, 2006

President George W. Bush announced on Wednesday he wants to increase the size of the U.S. military. Bush suggested that the numbers of Army soldiers and Marines should get a sizeable boost. Currently there are about 507,000 active-duty Army soldiers and 180,000 active-duty Marines.

"We have an obligation to ensure our military is capable of sustaining this war over the long haul, and performing the many tasks that we ask of them," said President Bush in an announcement at the White House.

Bush asked Secretary of Defense Robert Gates to study the request and report back on how to implement the plan. He said details about the number of troops and cost of the expansion would be included in his next budget. Bush will present a new budget to Congress in February.

New Secretary in Iraq

Bush made his announcement on Gates’s second full day as Secretary of Defense. It was also the day Gates arrived in Iraq for his first official visit. Joined by General Peter Pace, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gates will stay in Iraq for several days of discussions, meeting with top U.S. commanders and Iraqi officials. Talks will focus on what can be done to change the course of the war.

"The whole purpose is to go out and listen to the commanders, talk to the Iraqis, and see what I can learn. I expect to learn a lot,” said Gates.

On Wednesday, Gates met with General John Abizaid, the top U.S. commander in the Middle East, and George Casey, who is the top U.S. general in Iraq. Gates will meet with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on Thursday.

Gates, who is a former head of the Central Intelligence Agency, visited Iraq in September as a member of the Iraq Study Group. This bipartisan group—including members of both political parties—studied the Iraq situation and provided recommendations for handling the increasing violence by armed rebels.

“We will accomplish our objective. We've got to adjust tactics to do so, and insist the Iraqis take more responsibility,” said President Bush.

After considering the recommendations of the Iraq Study Group and Pentagon officials, Bush said he plans to reveal an updated Iraq strategy early in January.

 

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